Nutritional Support In Late-Stage Cancer

Appetite loss, nausea, and vomiting are common problems with late-stage cancers. Incorporating adequate nutrition is important to prevent nutritional deficiencies that can exacerbate problems. 

Side Effect Management

Nutritional support may be critical in late-stage cancer depending on the specific type of cancer and what treatments you have. Late-stage cancer, in general, might cause people to lose their appetite. Cancers affecting the gastrointestinal systems and metastatic cancers that affect the gastrointestinal system can cause problems with appetite or make it difficult to eat and expel waste. Although everyone has a different experience with chemotherapy, nausea, vomiting, and a change in taste can also affect nutrition. Using medications to manage side effects can offset nutrient deficiencies. If you cannot take oral medications, medicine is available in a patch to reduce nausea. Some medications can also stimulate your appetite.

IV Nutrition

Nutritional support might include periodic infusions of vitamins and minerals that are difficult to get in adequate amounts through food or supplements. Nutritional IVs might be necessary because of damage caused by cancer or the treatment. Damage to the stomach can impede nutrient absorption or removal of the stomach will require alternative ways of absorbing nutrients. Similarly, removal or damage to the small intestine can cause nutrient deficiencies, especially fat-soluble vitamins. Much of the small intestine is responsible for absorbing calories and nutrients. One of the benefits of IV therapy is it can be easily adjusted based on the results of blood work.

Surgical Interventions

A feeding tube (enteral nutrition) might be necessary for specific types of cancers or when nutritional deficiencies are not the only problem, but incorporating enough calories is also an issue. A feeding tube is a tube that goes through the abdominal wall and into the stomach or small intestines. Formula is inserted into the tube for meals.

Parenteral nutrition is another type of way to gain nutrition if the entire digestive system must be bypassed. There are several ways parenteral nutrition can be given, but in general, a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel in the arm and a wire is guided into a major vein in the chest. A special IV fluid is mixed for insertion into the catheter. Parenteral nutrition requires a more specialized mixture than a feeding tube.

Specialized Dietitian

Having a dietitian that specializes in cancer care can help you choose specific foods that are nutritionally and calorically dense and be consumed when your appetite is poor. Protein drinks are often recommended because they can be sipped throughout the day. Ingesting sufficient protein is critical to reducing muscle wasting which often occurs with late-stage cancer. Other suggestions your dietitian might have are smoothies or soups because they can be mixed in a blender into a soft, easier-to-consume meal with adequate nutrition.

Late-stage cancer often comes with a decrease in appetite and possible difficulties in being able to consume adequate nutrition. Nutritional support can reduce symptoms that often occur with inadequate nutrition, such as fatigue, bone pain, or muscle wasting.

Contact your doctor to learn more about nutrient IV therapy.